Mak

Mak is a term that appears in several languages and cultures, referring to different things in different contexts. It can denote an ethnic group and a language in Indonesia, as well as a family name of Cantonese origin, among other uses.

The Mak people are an indigenous ethnic group native to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The Mak language is associated with this community and is classified within the Austronesian language family. It is part of the Malayo-Polynesian branch and has several regional dialects. Today, Mak is often written in the Latin script and used in education and media alongside Indonesian.

In surnames and personal names, Mak is the Cantonese romanization of the surname 麥. It is found among Cantonese-speaking populations in Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas Chinese communities. The surname denotes various lineages and is distinct from other Chinese surnames that are romanized similarly in other dialects.

Apart from these primary uses, Mak may appear as a given name or nickname in various cultures, or as part of place names or local terms in some languages. The exact meaning of Mak depends on its linguistic and cultural context.